Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati on July 28 said her party decided to “teach a lesson” to the Congress and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot for the “unconstitutional” merger of its Legislature Party in the State by moving the High Court. She also said BSP had been waiting for the “right time” to hit back at the Congress for the merger.
On July 28, the BSP approached the Rajasthan High Court seeking to become a party in the petition by the BJP against the the BSP MLAs in the State joining the Congress.
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In a statement, Ms. Mayawati said after the results of the Rajasthan Assembly elections, the BSP supported the Congress to keep “communal forces” at bay.
The BSP chief claimed that after becoming the Chief Minister, Mr. Gehlot acted “unconstitutionally” to merge the six-MLA strong BSP Legislature Party in the State with the Congress.
Ms. Mayawati said Mr. Gehlot’s move was against the 10th schedule of the Constitution dealing with defections.
The BSP issued a whip to its MLAs on July 26 to vote against the Congress government in case of a trust vote.
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Ms. Mayawati said the BSP could have gone to court earlier on the matter, but was looking for the “right time” to “teach a lesson” to Congress and Mr. Gehlot.
The BSP, she said, “took the correct decision” to move court “at the right time”. She said her party would also approach the Supreme Court, if the need arises, in the case.
